Flames of Legacy:the Heir's sacrifice

Chapter One: The call came just before lunch. “Miss Sterling wants you in the boardroom”. Lisa froze. "Lilith Sterling?" "Yes." The line went dead. For several seconds, Lisa simply stared at the receiver. It made no sense. In the eighteen months Lilith Sterling had never once called for her. So why now? A knot tightened low in Lisa's stomach. She gathered the reports. Williams would have told her if something was wrong. Wouldn't he? __ __ __ The executive floor was unnaturally quiet. Outside the boardroom doors, she paused. Voices drifted through the door. Lisa frowned. She pushed it open. "I brought the financial..." The words died in her throat. The reports slipped from her hands. Paper exploded across the floor. Williams Kingston was kissing Lilith Sterling. Not a mistake. Not an accident. A slow, deliberate kiss. She couldn't breathe. Williams... The man who had whispered promises against her skin only two nights ago. The man who had slipped a simple silver ring onto her finger and vowed that, once the company recovered, nothing would keep them apart. The same man now stood kissing another woman as if Lisa had never existed. Lilith opened her eyes first. She looked directly at Lisa. There wasn't surprise in her expression. There was satisfaction. The kiss ended with agonizing slowness. Lilith smiled. She'd been waiting for this. "Oh." Her voice carried effortless elegance. "I didn't realize you'd arrived." She had known. Every second of it had been planned. Lisa's pulse hammered painfully. She bent automatically to gather the scattered reports. One page. Then another. The words blurred together. Lilith's heel descended onto her hand. Pain shot through her little finger. Sharp. Immediate. Lisa gasped before she could stop herself. "Careful” Heel presses harder "I didn't see you there."Lilith said. It was a lie delivered so gracefully it almost sounded sincere. Williams took a step forward. "Lilith." Lilith finally lifted her heel. "Careful, Miss Carter." She glanced toward the papers still scattered around the floor. "You wouldn't want confidential documents lying around." Heat climbed Lisa's face. She gathered the remaining reports, refusing to look at Williams. When she finally stood, Lilith gestured lazily toward the conference table. "The reports." Lisa crossed the room. Her injured finger trembled as she laid the files neatly beside the investors' briefing folders. "Anything else, Miss Sterling?" Lilith studied her for a long moment. "You compose yourself quickly." "I have work to do." "Good." Lilith smiled again. "You're very efficient." She glanced at Williams. “I understand why you kept her”. Lisa understood the message beneath the compliment. Know your place. She turned toward the door. "Lisa." Williams' voice stopped her. She didn't answer. Didn't even slow down. The boardroom doors closed softly behind her. Every promise Williams had ever made replayed inside her mind. When this merger is over... Just a little longer... Trust me. The silver ring hidden beneath her sleeve suddenly felt heavier than iron. She didn't remember reaching her office. The moment the door shut, she broke. Her injured hand shook violently. Not because of the pain. Because somewhere inside the executive boardroom... Williams had kissed another woman. A knock sounded almost immediately. She didn't answer. The door opened anyway. Williams stepped inside. He looked exactly as he always did. Perfect suit. Perfect posture. Except his eyes. They looked afraid. "Lisa..." She laughed once. A quiet sound that didn't resemble laughter at all. "So." She carefully removed the silver ring from beneath her sleeve and placed it on her desk between them. Neither of them looked away from it. "You should explain," she said softly. "Because right now..." She finally lifted her eyes to meet his. "...I'm running out of reasons to believe a single word you've ever told me." __ __ __ Williams didn't reach for the ring. Lisa folded her arms, more to keep herself from shaking than to appear composed. "Start talking." He drew a slow breath. "The board knows about us." Her stomach tightened. "What?" "They've known for weeks." The words landed harder than the kiss. Lisa searched his face. "They had someone watching me," Williams said. "And you didn't tell me?" "I was trying to protect you." She gave a hollow laugh. "You have a strange definition of protection." His jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. "So you chose her" "No." His answer came instantly. "I kissed her because I had no choice." Lisa stared at him. "What?" "Lilith wanted the board convinced the engagement was real." His voice was rough now. "She knew you'd be called into that room. She arranged it." Pieces clicked into place. Lilith had planned every second. "And you agreed?" "I agreed because refusing would have destroyed everything." Lisa looked away. "When were you planning to tell me?" she asked. "Tonight." She laughed again. "You always have the perfect answer after it's too late." His shoulders sagged. "I know." Silence stretched between them. Finally, Williams stepped closer. "I love you." She closed her eyes. "Don't." "I do." "Don't say it while she still has your lipstick on her mouth." The words hit their target. He flinched. For a moment neither of them spoke. Then Williams slipped a folded document from inside his jacket and placed it on the desk. Lisa frowned. "What is this?" "My engagement contract." She didn't touch it. "It isn't an engagement." "It might as well be." He pushed it toward her. "Read the last page." Reluctantly, she opened it. Then she skipped to the final page. Failure to complete the marriage agreement will trigger immediate withdrawal of Sterling Capital, board removal of the acting CEO, and emergency liquidation proceedings. She read it twice. Then a third time. "The board signed this?" "They drafted it." "And your vote?" "I was the only one who voted against it." Lisa swallowed. "So they gave you a choice." He met her eyes. "They gave me a countdown." A knock interrupted them. Neither answered. The door opened anyway. Marcus stepped inside. He stopped the moment he saw Lisa's expression. "I'll come back." "No," Williams said. "What is it?" "The board wants everyone back upstairs." Williams didn't move. "Lilith is pushing for an announcement today." Lisa felt something inside her go cold. "Announcement?" "They want to introduce them publicly as the future of Kingston Group." Williams swore under his breath. "I'm not doing it." "You may not have a choice." "I've had enough people deciding my life." "They're threatening another confidence vote." Williams rubbed both hands across his face. Marcus's phone buzzed. He checked the screen. His expression changed immediately. "What?" Williams asked. Marcus slowly lifted his head. "Someone just emailed every board member." The room fell still. "Emailed what?" Williams demanded. "They're claiming the future Mrs. Kingston isn't the only woman in your life." Williams' face hardened. "Delete it." "I can't." Marcus looked genuinely shaken. "They attached evidence." Lisa's pulse stumbled. "What kind of evidence?" He didn't answer. Instead, he handed Williams the phone. Williams looked at the screen. The color drained from his face. Lisa had never seen Williams afraid. Until now. She stepped forward. "Show me." He locked the screen immediately. "No." "Show me." "It isn't time." Her voice sharpened. "When exactly is the right time, Williams? After another kiss? After another lie?" "It isn't what you think." "Then tell me what I'm looking at!" Before either man could stop her, she snatched Marcus's phone from Williams' hand. The attachment was already open. A grainy photograph filled the screen. Not the boardroom. Not today. A different day. Williams. Holding someone. The woman's face was hidden beneath the angle. Only long dark hair was visible. The timestamp read... Three weeks ago. Lisa looked up slowly. Three weeks ago... Williams had told her he was in London negotiating with investors. The office suddenly felt too small. Then every phone in the room vibrated at the exact same moment. Marcus checked his. Williams checked his. Lisa looked down at hers. An unknown number. Just three words. WE ARE WATCHING. Beneath the message... Another notification began downloading automatically. 1 of 27 files received…